with sy ##bill ##e and fox , the latter carrying a mr . bernard , an experienced linguist . passing luzon , cooke ' s ships encountered a small spanish merchant vessel , which was lured towards the frigates , which were flying french tri ##color ##s . seizing the spanish vessel , cooke closely questioned the captain and learned that most of the spanish squadron in manila were undergoing extensive repairs at ca ##vite and were unfit to sail . cooke rewarded the captain by releasing his vessel with its cargo intact , although he did remove 3 @ , @ 900 silver dollars . the spanish squadron had suffered badly in a typhoon in april 1797 and much of the damage had still not been repaired
with sybille and fox, the latter carrying a mr. bernard, an experienced linguist. passing luzon, cooke's ships encountered a small spanish merchant vessel, which was lured towards the frigates, which were flying french tricolors. seizing the spanish vessel, cooke closely questioned the captain and learned that most of the spanish squadron in manila were undergoing extensive repairs at cavite and were unfit to sail. cooke rewarded the captain by releasing his vessel with its cargo intact, although he did remove 3 @, @ 900 silver dollars. the spanish squadron had suffered badly in a typhoon in april 1797 and much of the damage had still not been repaired